PLAY ROULETTE ONLINE

Play Roulette Online is a very easy game to understand. Roulette is arguably the most recognizable casino game to play. It is also a very straightforward game to learn to play. The objective of the game is to predict successfully where the ball will land on the spinning wheel. Online Roulette is played with the same rules and strategies that are used at land based casinos.

History of Roulette

The definite origin of Roulette has been lost in history, however the Roulette wheel first appeared in the form as we know it today in the late 18th century in Paris. Roulette gained in popularity in Europe in the late 19th century when Monaco became established as the place for wealthy European players to enjoy the luxurious and glamorous Monte Carlo Casino.

Roulette was first introduced to the USA by French immigrants in the early 1800’s. Roulette is said to have appeared in New Orleans at one of America’s first casinos, growing to become very popular during the California gold rush. Today a Roulette wheel can be found in nearly all casinos across the US.

Virtual Roulette played in online casinos first surfaced on the internet in the mid 1990’s. Online Roulette is just as popular among players today online as it is in real land-based casinos.

Object of the Game

Roulette is a fairly easy game to learn. It is most important to learn the value of the different bets at the table and where to place them before wagering real money. The player’s objective in online Roulette is very simple – to predict and place wagers on where the ball will land in the spinning Roulette wheel, and if guessed correctly earn a payoff.

The Roulette Wheel and Table

Roulette is played at a table with a wheel and betting area. There are two types of Roulette wheels, the American and the European or French wheel. Most online casinos offer both versions of online Roulette to choose from. The numbers on the Roulette wheels are placed alternating between pairs of odd numbers with pairs of even numbers. The slots alternate between black and red.

The American Roulette wheel is printed with 38 numbered slots, 1 through 36 and 0, 00. The 0 and 00 slots are on opposite sides of the wheel in green. The European or French Roulette wheel does not contain the 00 slot, with a total of 37 slots. European Roulette is played the same way as American Roulette; however, with just the one green 0 slot gives the player better odds of winning. On a single zero Roulette table the house advantage is 2.7%, on a double zero Roulette table the house advantage is 5.26%.

The table or betting area is known as the layout. The layout is arranged so that the 36 numbers are in 3 columns of 12 numbers each. The numbers are in sequence across the columns and are either red or black as marked on the wheel. The zeros are placed at the top of the columns. The area on the layout outside the numbered area (where outside bets are placed) contains boxes labeled for even/odd bets, 1 to 18 and 19 to 36 bets and the column and dozen bets.

Online Roulette Betting

There are several ways to bet in online Roulette each with different winning odds and levels of payoff. There are two categories of bets that can be placed. Any combination of bets may be placed with no limit to the number of bets each player may wager on each spin. Online casinos may sometimes have maximum betting limits allowed per spin placed on their tables. The two categories of bets are inside and outside bets.

Inside bets – made on numbers directly inside the number layout.

Outside bets – made on the betting area on the Roulette table bordering the number layout.

Inside Bets for Online Roulette

The number layout is the part of the table containing the squares with the numbers 1 through 36. The squares are laid out 12 rows by 3 columns with the 0 and 00 numbers at one end. The inside bets are as follows:

  • Single Number (Straight Bet, Double Zero or Zero) – Betting on a singe number including the 0 and 00. A single number bet is placed with the chip in the center of the square containing the number you wish to bet on. Pays 35 to 1.
  • Split Bet (Two Number Bet) – Betting on two numbers with one wager. A split bet is placed with the chip on the line between two separate numbers. Pays 17 to 1.
  • Corner Bet (Square or Quarter Bet) – Betting on a block of four numbers. A corner bet in online Roulette is placed with the chip on the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines at the center of the block you wish to bet on. Pays 8 to 1.
  • Street Bet – Betting on a row of three numbers. A street bet is placed with the chip on the outside line at the edge of the number layout on the row you wish to bet on. Pays 11 to 1.
  • Special Line Bet (Five Number Bet) – The only five number bet you can make by betting on five adjoining numbers (00, 0, 1, 2 and 3). This bet is available when playing an American wheel only. Place your chip on the outside line at the edge of the number layout that divides the 0 and 1. Pays 6 to 1.
  • Line Bet – Betting on six adjoining (two rows of three) numbers. A line bet is placed with the chip on the outside line of the last numbers of the two rows you wish to bet on. Pays 5 to 1.

Outside bets for Online Roulette

  • Column Bets – Betting on any one of the three long columns of numbers. A column bet in online Roulette is placed with the chip in the 2 to 1 spot at the bottom of the column. Pays 2 to 1.
  • Dozens – A bet on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd set of 12 numbers on the layout. A dozens bet is placed with the chip in the corresponding box outside the number layout on the online Roulette table. Pays 2 to 1.
  • Odd or Even Bets – A bet on either all of the odd or all of the even numbers. An odd or even bet is placed with the chip in the corresponding box outside the number layout on the online Roulette table. Pays even money.
  • Red or Black Bets – A bet on either all the red or all the black numbers. A red or black bet is placed with the chip in the corresponding box outside the number layout on the Roulette table. Pays even money.
  • 1-18 or 19-36 Bets – A bet on any of the numbers from 1 through 18 or 19 through 36. If the 0 or 00 come up you loose the bet. These bets are placed with the chip in the labeled location outside the number layout on the Roulette table. Pays even money.

The ‘En Prison’ rule

Some casinos will apply the En Prison rule to even money bets (those bets that pay out 1 to 1). When the outcome of the spin is zero, some casinos will allow the player to either take back half of the bet or to leave the bet (in prison) for another Roulette spin. If the player chooses to leave their bet en prison and another zero comes up in the following spin, then the whole bet is lost.

The ‘La Partage’ rule

The La Partage rule is similar to the en prison rule. With La Partage, the player loses half of the bet when a 0 or 00 comes up and the player does not have the option of leaving the bet for another spin. This rule applies to the outside even money bets.

Playing Roulette Online

When playing Roulette at an online casino, your screen will show your chips stacked by denominations ($1, $5, $25, $100, $500) a the bottom of your screen. There will be a game menu, usually at the very bottom of the screen. Begin my placing your bets by clicking with the left mouse button on the chips to wager. Click with the right button of your mouse to decrease the amount you wish to wager.

If you are playing online Roulette at a US casino site for the first time, be sure to read the play instructions to ensure you are clear on the functions of the different buttons on the screen as well as shortcut keys for the game, before beginning to play. They may vary slightly from one casino to the next.

Once you have placed your bets on the table you can spin the online Roulette wheel by clicking on the Spin button. Once the spin is complete, the winning number will be displayed with a marker on the table. If you have a winning bet, a W or a marker will be placed on top of your chips. The game will then calculate your winnings and add the amounts to your chips. At this point you may select to play again by pressing the New Game button.

Online Roulette Strategy

Roulette is essentially a game of luck. Knowing the odds for each bet in Roulette before you play at an online casino is most important. Likewise, following these simple tips will give you the best chance of winning at Roulette:

  • Wager on the even-money and low-odds bets, these offer the lowest house advantage
  • Choose to play at US casino sites that offer European Roulette online. The extra zero on the American Roulette well increase the house advantage to 5.3% verses the American Roulette wheel which has an advantage of only 2.7%
  • If you are playing American Roulette online, don’t place a bet on the number five or on the top line (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) of the board.
  • Bets to Avoid – We recommend avoiding betting on single numbers and the five number bet (available on the double zero wheel only).
  • Recommended Bets – Those bets that pay out even money (1 to 1) and who odds closely mirror the payouts. Even money bets include High and Low, Red or Black, and Even and Odd.
  • It is recommended that you play Roulette for a short period of time and with a set amount of money.
  • Once you lose it, stop playing. Play online Roulette for the entertainment value.
  • The table below illustrates the odds and payout rates for each bet in Roulette, for both the European and American wheels. You will see from the table that both the American and European wheels have the same payouts, however the European single zero wheel offers better odds.